Immigrating to the United States isn’t easy, but it remains a dream that many around the world seek every single year—especially families with young children. The most important action you can take before you move is to have all your documents in order before registering your children to live in their new place of residence; this includes obtaining I.D., birth certificates, visas, and other legal documents. Taking this step is especially important for young immigrant newborns and infants.

Familial Situation Matters

U.S. citizens can petition to bring children into the country, regardless of whether they’re married to the other parent or not. Permanent residents, including people with green cards, cannot request to bring over children through marriage. In either case, you’ll need to provide documents proving that your child is, in fact, yours.

Exactly which documents you need will depend on your relationship with the child. For example, an adoptive parent may need different documents from a couple that gave birth to children of their own. Parents will also need to bring proof of any name changes if they’ve done so in the past.

Genetic Mothers

Every parent must bring along documentation proving their citizenship or permanent residency when they come—for both the parent and the infant. If you’re the genetic or surrogate mother of your child, it’s very straightforward. You just need to provide the birth certificate issued by civil authorities, as well as your own documentation.

Genetic Fathers

Genetic fathers must show their birth certificate, as well as a copy of their marriage certificate. If fathers aren't married due to divorce, death, or annulment, they need to show legal evidence of the reason for separation. There may be additional steps for the father to take if the child’s mother died before the child turned 18.

Some residences determine the children to be illegitimate in these cases, so fathers must prove their financial or emotional investment in the children before they turned 21 or got married.

Step-Parents

Step-parents need to provide the same level of information as genetic fathers. They need to show the children’s birth certificates and their civil marriage certificates to the children’s genetic or surrogate parents. They should also provide proof of legal termination of previous marriages if applicable, which includes divorces, deaths, and annulments.

Adoptive Parents

Adoptive parents need a copy of their children’s birth certificates along with the final adoption decrees. Afterward, they must show proof of at least two years of legal custody of the children. There are some exceptions to this rule, but they can be very complex. The most common applications are international adoptions and international surrogacy.

The immigration process is almost over after the parents provide the necessary documentation for their children’s immigration to the U.S. The children will receive either proof of citizenship or a green card in the mail, depending on their visa classifications. If your children receive green cards, your next step is to establish citizenship for them. You’ll need birth certificates to get their immigration process started, no matter what relationship you have with your children. Contact FastBirthCertificates.com today to learn how to get a birth certificate and bring them home where they belong.